BIOGRAPHY

Yiannis Issaris is a PhD Fellow of Marine Ecology at the Institute of Marine Biological Resources/HCMR and an acclaimed underwater photographer and videographer. 

His doctoral research is focused on developing new techniques for underwater visual surveys of marine organisms and specifically addressing detectability issues that affect the accuracy of range and abundance estimations. His thesis is supervised by Professor George Verriopoulos at the Department of Biology/Sector of Zoology and Marine Ecology, University of Athens.

He has extensive working experience on fine and medium-scale habitat mapping, GIS cartography, monitoring populations of marine benthic and benthopelagic species, monitoring of endangered and/or protected marine species, and on various underwater sampling techniques with SCUBA diving. He is an expert scientific diver with deep water mixed gas qualifications and a founding member of the HCMR Scientific Diving Team.

Yiannis' photo work has been published in numerous newspapers and magazines, and he has worked as prime underwater videographer for various documentaries broadcasted by Greek and German TV networks (ET1, SKAI, NDR). He has been awarded twice by one of the most prestigious photography competitions in the world (GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009, 2011).

 

CURRICULUM VITAE

Education Profile

  • PhDc Marine Ecology, University of Athens
  • BSc Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean (2005)

Professional Profile

  • 2009-today: PhD Fellow, Institute of Marine Biological Resources/HCMR
  • 2008-2009: Underwater Videographer and Scientific Advisor, Olyvon productions, Athens
  • 2006-2008: Marine Environmental Impact Assessment consultant, freelancer
  • 2006-today: Underwater Photographer/Videographer, freelancer

Awards

  • 2011: Highly Commended, GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011.
  • 2010: 1st Poster Award, 39th CIESM Congress, Venice, Italy, 10-15 May 2010.
  • 2009: Highly Commended, GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009.

Research Interests

Yiannis Issaris’ research interests are focused around the field of Marine Conservation Ecology, and specifically in population ecology and dynamics of benthic communities, monitoring of endangered and/or protected marine species, evaluating the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas and Marine Reserves. He is also interested in the study of Mediterranean mesophotic reef ecosystems with deep scientific diving techniques, as well as the general cataloguing and conservation of Mediterranean marine biodiversity.



SELECTED SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS

  • Issaris Y, Katsanevakis S, Salomidi M, Tsiamis K, Katsiaras N, Verriopoulos G, 2011. Occupancy estimation of marine species: dealing with imperfect detectability. Marine Ecology Progress Series, accepted for publication.
  • Katsanevakis S, Poursanidis D, Issaris Y, Panou A, Petza D, Vassilopoulou V, Chaldaiou I, Sini M, 2011. “Protected” marine shelled molluscs: thriving in Greek seafood restaurants. Mediterranean Marine Science 12(2): 429-438.
  • Katsanevakis S, Issaris Y, Poursanidis D, Thessalou-Legaki M, 2010. Vulnerability of marine habitats to the invasive green alga Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea within a marine protected area. Marine Environmental Research 70: 210-218.
  • Katsanevakis S, Poursanidis D, Issaris Y, Tsiamis K, Salomidi M, Maroulakis M, Kytinou E, Thessalou-Legaki M, Zenetos A, 2010. The invasive crab Percnon gibbesi (Crustacea: Decapoda: Plagusiidae) is spreading in the Aegean and Ionian Seas. Marine Biodiversity Records 3: e53.
  • Salomidi M, Zibrowius H, Issaris Y, Milionis K, 2010. Dendrophyllia in Greek Waters, Mediterranean Sea, with the first record of D. ramea (Cnidaria, Scleractinia) from the area. Mediterranean Marine Science 11(1): 189-194.
  • Issaris Y, Katsanevakis S, 2010. Non destructive Distance Sampling surveys for population density and abundance estimations of benthic fauna. 39th CIESM Congress, Venice, Italy, 10-14 May 2010.
  • Issaris Y, Katsanevakis S, Panou A, 2009. Estimating population density and abundance of the protected seahorse species Hippocampus hippocampus and H. guttulatus in northeastern Korinthiakos Gulf. 11th International Congress on the Zoogeography and Ecology of Greece and Adjacent Regions, Irakleio, Greece, 21-25 September 2009.